The U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded BAE Systems a $28 million (£16.7 million) contract for the third-generation (Gen3) configuration of its Common Missile Warning System (CMWS). This contract, which represents the first direct commercial sale of BAE Systems’ Gen3 CMWS technology, will enable the U.K. military to provide its aircrews with the latest CMWS survivability equipment.

“Our Common Missile Warning System has a long track record of success with more than 2 million combat hours. Its proven technology has saved countless aircraft and lives,” said Bill Staib, director of Threat Management Solutions at BAE Systems. “Our engineers have now enhanced the system with third-generation technology, integrating hostile fire indication, missile warning, and data recording capabilities into a single unit. Through this purchase, the U.K. pilots will have enhanced detection of small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, improving their safety and mission effectiveness.”

BAE Systems’ CMWS, which has nearly 10 years of in-theater combat experience, is a highly automated and tightly integrated survivability suite that locates threats and executes countermeasures to protect aircraft and personnel. Recently delivered to the U.S. Army, the Gen3 system includes both hostile fire indication to detect and evade small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, and new data recording capabilities for detailed post-mission analysis.

The MoD award, which brings the U.K. MoD procurement of CMWS units to more than 300 systems, also includes user data modules that enable user-defined parameter changes to customize aircraft installations as well as supporting data and services. The new systems will be used to replace some previously purchased Gen2 CMWS units and to outfit new aircraft. The CMWS units will be installed on several U.K. platforms, including Apache, Chinook, Wildcat, and Merlin aircraft.

“The award of this contract for Common Missile Warning Systems to BAE Systems will ensure our Armed Forces continue to have the state-of-the-art equipment they need to protect our aircraft and helicopters,” said Philip Dunne, Minister for Defence Equipment Support and Technology and Member of Parliament. “The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing battle-winning technology to our military. This system provides proven detection of missile, rocket and small arms threats for tactical, fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. This contract will ensure our Armed Forces will have around 300 systems in total.”

BAE Systems has a long history of providing threat detection and advanced threat countermeasures for superior protection against guided and unguided threats to both rotary and fixed wing aircraft.